An Agent Based Simulation Model Applied to Emergency Vehicles in High Traffic Urban Environments

Abstract

Advances in information and communication technology offer new tools in managing the ever-growing urban infrastructure. It is non-trivial to design, maintain and expand road networks that insure a safe and fast transport of goods and people while still permitting a quick intervention in emergency situations. The objective of this paper is to present a simulated traffic model application. In this respect, we employ the use of cell agents which are a basic component of CitySCAPE, a Synergic Control Architecture for Protection during Emergencies. The traffic system is modelled and simulated using a multi-agent based solution which will allow emergency responders to go through a group of intersections with minimal waiting time. The purpose of the simulation is to obtain a lower travel time for emergency vehicles than the average value, inside the considered geographical area, taking into account the inherent uncertainties of the drivers' decisions to follow certain urban routes.